Won Bin

Kim Do-jin (; born November 10, 1977), professionally known as Won Bin (), is a South Korean actor. He first gained wide popularity in 2000 after starring in the television series '' Autumn in My Heart''. One of the most selective actors in the Korean entertainment industry, he has starred in only five films to date: '' Guns & Talks'' (2001), ''Taegukgi'' (2004), '' My Brother'' (2004), ''Mother'' (2009), and '' The Man from Nowhere'' (2010). He was Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year in 2010 and 2011.

Early life

Won was born on November 10, 1977, in Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province, South Korea. He is the fifth and youngest child, with one brother and three sisters. His father was employed in a mine, and his mother worked on a farm. Like other children living in mountainous areas, Won spent most of his time playing with friends in the mountains and rivers. He was often shy, introspective, and quiet—traits that would follow him into adulthood. Although not talkative or outgoing, he excelled in sports. Won began taking taekwondo lessons and holds a black belt. He graduated from Chuncheon Mech Tech High School and initially planned to become a car mechanic due to his interest in car racing and motorcycling.

In November 1995, a cable television network was looking for new actors; Won applied and was accepted in his last semester of high school. He played bit parts on cable television, where he was noticed by fashion designer André Kim, who invited him to appear in his fashion show. Afterward, Won signed with a talent agency and decided to adopt the stage name "Won Bin".

Career

Won's official acting debut is considered to be the 1997 television series ''Propose'', in which he played a supporting role. He then starred in the series ''Ready Go!'' (1998) and ''Kwangki'' (1999). In 1998, Won graduated from the Broadcasting and Entertainment Department at Paekche Institute of the Arts.

Won had his big breakthrough in 2000. He played the rebellious youngest son in the critically acclaimed drama ''Tough Guy's Love'' (''Kkokji''). However, it was '' Autumn in My Heart'' that brought him widespread recognition not only in Korea but throughout Asia. The series became widely popular outside of Korea, ushering in the cultural phenomenon known as the "Korean Wave". '' Vogue Korea'' called Won "the original flower boy" and "the original Hallyu star".

In 2001, Won graduated from the Department of Theater at Yong In University. In 2002, he appeared in the series ''Friends'', the first South Korean–Japanese co-production. That same year, he enrolled in the master's program at the Department of Film, the Graduate School of Arts, Yong In University.

Won's first major success on the big screen was the war drama ''Taegukgi'', in which he played a sensitive younger brother who was forcibly drafted into the South Korean army at the start of the Korean War. ''Taegukgi'' became the highest-grossing film in South Korea in 2004, selling 11.75 million tickets. Won also starred in such popular films as '' Guns & Talks'' (2001) and '' My Brother'' (2004).

In November 2005, Won enlisted for mandatory military service. He was stationed in the Korean Demilitarized Zone, a position for which he volunteered. On June 2, 2006, the military officially confirmed that Won would no longer be active. The decision was made by the military when Won sustained injury to his ACL. He underwent surgery and was officially discharged on June 7, 2006. Rehabilitation from the injury took more than a year.

In September 2007, Won was appointed as a special representative of the Korean Committee for UNICEF. Over the years, he has participated in various programs and charity events for the organization. In June 2024, he was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in Korea.

After a five-year break, Won returned to the big screen with the film ''Mother'', directed by Bong Joon Ho. The film premiered in the ''Un Certain Regard'' section at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. This was followed by '' The Man from Nowhere'', which became the highest-grossing film in South Korea in 2010 and is Won's final appearance as an actor to date.

Despite his prolonged hiatus from acting, Won retains his popularity with the public. In 2024, Gallup Korea conducted a survey on "The actor you want to see again", in which Won took first place.

Personal life

On May 30, 2015, Won married actress Lee Na-young in a small, private ceremony in a wheat field in Won's hometown of Jeongseon County. The couple reportedly began dating in August 2012. Lee gave birth to their son in December 2015.

Won has investments in real estate. He also does some farming, growing chokeberries and making chokeberry juice and sesame oil.

Endorsements

Won is a successful commercial model. In 2018, a news program claimed that Won had earned more than from advertising since 2010. He has modeled for more than 50 brands since the late 1990s.

Won also worked as a fashion model for André Kim, appearing in several of his fashion shows in the 1990s and early 2000s. Kim wrote in his book, "I happened to see Won Bin by chance. His exquisite sculptural features, the overall balance of his face, his lonely gaze, and his elegant aura. Very young yet somehow profound. His inner depth was radiating beautifully."

Public image

Won is one of the most elusive actors in South Korea. Due to the rarity of meeting him in person, other celebrities refer to him as a "legendary dragon". His long hiatus from acting adds to his mystique.

Won is considered one of the best examples of a good-looking man in South Korea; he has been nicknamed "Godbin" and "CG" by Korean internet users. The director of ''Mother'', Bong Joon Ho, said that he added the line, "Do-joon's eyes are like a work of art. They're like deer's eyes," after casting Won for the role.

Won is often referenced in popular culture, from songs to dramas. The first Korean cyber singer, Adam, who debuted in 1998, was modeled after him. Screenwriter Kim Eun-sook, who has often said she would like to work with Won, named the main character of the 2012 series '' A Gentleman's Dignity'' Kim Do-jin, which is Won's real name. The hair-cutting scene from '' The Man from Nowhere'' has spawned numerous parodies.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Music video appearances

Awards and nominations

Listicles

Notes

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Won, Bin
UNICEF goodwill ambassadors
20th-century South Korean male actors
21st-century South Korean male actors
South Korean male film actors
South Korean male television actors
South Korean male models
South Korean male taekwondo practitioners
Yong In University alumni
Male actors from Gangwon Province, South Korea
People from Jeongseon County
1977 births
Living people
Best New Actor Paeksang Arts Award (television) winners